Every Child Matters: Changes for Children HMSO 2004

The governors and staff of Rathfern Primary School fully recognise their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and this includes the protection of children from abuse or neglect. We recognise that everyone working with the school has a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm. Our policy applies to all staff, governors, volunteers, and other agencies (such as commissioned services or extended school services), who provide services or activities within or for the school.

Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and

Undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

Supporting children

We recognise that the school plays a significant part in the prevention of harm to our pupils by providing pupils with good lines of communication with trusted adults, supportive friends and an ethos of protection.

The school community will therefore:

Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk and are always listened to.

Ensure that all children know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.

Liaise and work together with all other support services and those agencies involved in the safeguarding of children

Notify Children’s Specialist Services as soon as there is a significant concern.

Provide continuing support to a pupil about whom there have been concerns who leaves the school by ensuring that appropriate information is forwarded under confidential cover to the pupil’s new school, and other agencies as appropriate.